In a conventional ski binding, a toe piece and a heel piece are affixed directly to the ski. Mounting devices which connect ski boot bindings to skis for the purpose of providing shock absorption or greater ski flex are known in the art.
Canadian Patent 750,259 describes a resilient binding support having an upper arched member supported by two lower arched members such that the ski can flex longitudinally and laterally, and the arched members absorb the shocks of passing over rough terrain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,895 describes a shock absorbing element for skis which acts as a mounting plate for the ski boot binding while dampening oscillations, vibrations and impacts during skiing. A shock absorbing layer of an elastomeric material supports the mounting plate on the ski in the middle, and the mounting plate is connected at its front and rear ends to the ski.
The prior art devices absorb shocks and allow the ski to flex more freely, however, the feeling of direct contact with the snow is lost having a suspension system between the boot and the ski, and the performance or ability of the ski boot bindings to release the ski boot is reduced as the surface to which the bindings are mounted flexes and the distance between the heel and toe bindings diminishes and the relative angle of the heel and toe binding components changes. Safety of the skier may be compromised if the bindings fail to release as desired.